Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-06
SUBSTITUTES FOR THE CAUCUS.

To the proposing of remedies for the
evils of the caucus there is seemingly
no end. Out of the many suggested spe-
cites there has been application of none as
yet with u.s. The whole reform question
as related to the caucus is, indeed, still in
the wilderness of theory. The latest prop
osition is elaborated by R. II. Dana in the
Forum for January. His substitute for
the caucus is TO stop the supply of offices
and money, which can only be done by
civil service reform. England is cited as
an example of what may be done in this
direction, Sir Henry James Act 1883
defining what are illegal election acts and
expenditures, having proved entirely sue
cesSful.
If the American people are perfectly
honest with themselves, they must confess
that the party caucus precedent to the pri-
mary is, in nine cases out of ten, non-rep-
resentative of the voice of the men of the
party. 1t is means to the end of select
ing delegates to conventions, or of select
ing nominees direct, but the largest part
played by the mass of the voters is in
choosing by ballot from among candidates
only the few, and those the most selishly
and grossly interested, have put forward
Now, any system that fails to be repre-
eaptotiva &c tho v,o;or;+v ,,o;oo =, { A., -.
people is undemocratic and inconsistent
with a republican form of government.
1t logically follows that either it or the
form of government must give way. To
that crisis we must come-it is simply i'm
possible to avoid it. If Mr. Dana's plan is
wise and shall be agreed to, then the
crisis will have come.
Let us see through what preface he
leads up to his conclusion. 1t is not
necessary to offer proof of the fact that
despite attempts to reform, matters have
been growing worse in the methods of the
people for choosing men to represent them;
that fact, he insists, will not be denied.
1t is common to rail at bosses"
and denounee corrupt rings" and
managers" but that is simply treating
the matter as if we are not responsible for
them. The real inquiry should be, out of
what are they evolved who makes the
caucus means to defeat popular will? A
man becomes professional politician,
oftener than otherwise because it pays, be-
. cause he has stake" in his political
work. We think Mr.. Dana should have
added that the mere ambition to
WELD power is an important factor in the
cause" In the Federal Government are
ll5,0o0 appointive offices, with SSO,OOO,OOO
of salaries attached. Most of these places
can be used as rewards to political work
ers. At ) per cent. the annual income of
these offices represents a capital of 81, 60O,-
100000 The city patronage of New York
similarly represents SlO,0OO,OO0 year.
Other State, city and town patronage he
places atS13O, OOOAOOayear, representing
funded capital ofSl2, 800, 100000. Add these
to the first figures, and We have S210,000.-
600, representing capital of $4,000, OOO,-
O00, sum three times as large as the
national debt.
These prizes create the sinews of war in
politics and keep the soldiery in training.
Besides there Is the levy by the politicians
upon private purses, rich candidates and
the assessment OF office-holders. The plum
der, in controlling the popular voice, is
divided among "the boys" and used to
grease the ways" as slang has it, and
this accomplished through ward club or
CARNATIONS, snap" caucuses Those called
at short notice or without anvil, holding
primaries or caucuses in out-of-the-wav
places, and where the average voter will
not go, and finally by kneck-downs and
=" fisticuffs," as occasion may reou;re
Convention work is prearraneed; these
bodies most frequently do merely what has
been laid out for them by small band
that has "cut aud dried the apro-
gramme." of course such use of party
machinery breeds corruption; the wage
earning family-supporting voter has no
time to " fight the organized forces that
manage" the machinery. He has at
tended the caucus and invariably been
beaten, and hence declines to renew the
effort to give effect to his political iudg-
ment.
Now, says Mr.. Dana, if there is no
pillage and no pay, the army of mercc-
naries viii fall.to pieces. How shall the
"pillags and pay" be Kept off? His re-
ply is, first, 10 cut off the supply of offices
by extension Of civil service reform
methods; second, require candidates to
file full accounts of election expenditures,
and open Courts to try election petitions,
as in England. The law there specifies
what are legal election expenses, fixes the
number Of election agents that may be en-